Knitting Daily

Along with a new editor, Interweave Knits also has a new website: Knitting Daily. Here, you can find several posts each week devoted to knitting (and most recently, crocheting), as well as several of IK's patterns, made available for free to people who have registered with the website. Along with access to the websites trove of treasures, a registration will also give you an opportunity to sign up for their mailing list to get the posts sent directly to your inbox.

As well as introducing and breaking down patterns and techniques, the blog-style website has posted interviews with designers and a couple of project galleries that show how the sample garment fits on different body types with different amounts (both positive and negative) of ease. Very interesting.

Interweave has been making select patterns from all their disciplines available for free on their various websites. If you haven't visited their website, take a few minutes to browse around http://www.interweave.com and click around to their various disciplines. There are free projects guidelines in beading, needlwork, weaving, and spinning. All their knitting and crochet projects have been moved over to Knitting Daily.

Member Event - Back To School Night

Springwater is falling back into the school season with our September Associates Event - a Back To School Night!

Join us on Saturday, September 15th from 5-7 PM here at the shop. We'll be discussing an overview of the fall class schedule, showing how Springwater can provide schools & civic groups various demonstrations and other outreach opportunities, and we'll even teach you a few fiber "tricks" to share with young and old alike! There is no charge, and light refreshments will be provided.

We extend an extra special invitation to school teachers and homeschoolers, as well as our Associates. Please come out and join us for a fun and informative evening!

Saartje's Booties

One of the patterns I’ve seen floating around in several online spots lately is the Saartje’s Booties pattern, written by Saartje, who blogs from her home in the Netherlands. She has made the pattern available for free on her blog (side bar, in both English and Dutch).

I have be honest and admit up front that I am not a big fan of baby booties in general. I have never seen a pattern for a pair that I have felt compelled to make (before these). Babies don’t need shoes until they are walking, and when they do have booties or socks on, they are constantly falling off!

But when I first came across this pattern, I decided I had to make them. What a great little design with the crossed straps — these should stay put on a baby’s foot!

I made this little pair in an afternoon, using about 12 grams (for the small size) of leftover sock yarn and some little shell buttons I found in a drawer at home. The only thing I changed was how the button loops were created. Instead of making them from yarn ends (I’m always looking for ways to sew in fewer ends), I took the last stitch of the last knit strap row, slid it onto a crochet hook, chained 6, then slid the last chain loop back onto the needle to start the bind-off row.

These little booties are a great one-day project, would make a great gift for a new baby, and a wonderful way to use up some of those yarn scraps you are reluctant to get rid of, but don’t know what to do with.

Textiles of Klimt's Vienna at the TM

One of the best things about being a fiber artist living in the DC area is having access to the Textile Museum. One of the current shows at the museum showcases the textiles of Klimt’s Vienna. The show features the work of the many talented textiles designer at the Wiener Werkstatte at the beginning of the 20^th century. A printmakers dream, the samples range from the simple to the most of elaborate designs, making many strong statements about art through the 20^th century.

The Wiener Werkstatte was not only a design workshop but also an artistic hub for a new movement of art known as the Arts and Crafts Movement. The principle of which was to have beauty in everyday life with everyday objects, and the artists of Vienna were looking to shape the world with their work. The work in the exhibition has strong ties to the artistic past but also shows how the styles were a preview for what was to come throughout the 20^th century.

Hidden Treasure at the TM

The hands on room is hidden on the top floor of the museum but is worth the trek up the stairs. If you traveling with children this playroom can help bring the structure of many different textile techniques to life.